AN ex-Advertiser reporter turned lecturer has been named as a senior fellow of the prestigious Higher Education Academy, the national body which champions teaching excellence.

Claire Wolfe, principal lecturer in journalism at the University of Worcester, oversaw the development of a highly-successful BA (Hons) journalism course, which achieved Broadcast Journalism Training Council accreditation.

The course has a strong web and magazine production strand and has helped graduates embark on a range of careers in local, regional and national media.

Claire, who started her career as a trainee reporter on the Redditch and Bromsgrove Advertisers and was also editor of the Redditch and Bromsgrove Chamber of Commerce Magazine, Briefcase, said: “I feel honoured to be accepted as a senior fellow of the Academy and will continue to aim high and to inspire students and staff alike through example.

“A hallmark of the course is to help young people develop their talents and to have a range of knowledge and skills that enable them to enter a range of professions including journalism, social media management, PR and communications and copywriting.

“The course is challenging but fun with opportunities to attend press conferences, criminal courts, Westminster and sporting events. There are live newsdays with our professional standard TV and radio studios.”

The latest official Unistats figures show 100 of students were in work six months after graduating, with 75 per cent in a professional/managerial position.